Equality

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), as a staff association, a service provider and an employer, is fully committed to eliminating unlawful and unfair discrimination, promoting equality and diversity and protecting human rights.

PFEW has been, and will continue to be, involved in the development of policies and procedures that challenge unacceptable behaviour and support equality and diversity both within the Federation and in the police service.

Equality and diversity

Police officers are protected under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 in respect of unlawful discrimination at work because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Various leaflets published by the Police Federation are available from your Federation office.

A member who considers they may have been discriminated against on any of these grounds should contact their Federation office as a matter of urgency. Your Equality Liaison Officer (ELO) will also be able to support and advise you.

Discrimination claims to an Employment Tribunal (ET) must be made on Form ET1, which can be completed online.

The normal time limit for commencing action is three months less one day from the date of the last act or omission to act on which the claim is based.

ACAS early conciliation

Before the majority of proceedings can be commenced, it is necessary for an application to contact ACAS and complete the early conciliation (EC) procedure. This procedure is free. The EC form can be completed online and must be done at any time within the normal time limit.

Once the form has been sent, time will stop running to enable ACAS to contact the parties and attempt settlement. Up to one month will be available (with an additional two weeks at the discretion of ACAS where settlement appears likely).

Where settlement is not achieved, ACAS will then send an EC certificate to the applicant which includes a reference number. The applicant should include this number on the ET1. Time will start running again from the point the EC Certificate is deemed received by the applicant and they will have at least one month from that date in which to lodge their ET1.

Equality and diversity leaflet

Bullying and harassment  - what is it?

Many forms of behaviour can constitute harassment or bullying, but most significantly the behaviour is unwelcome by the recipient. The behaviour may be deliberate or just misplaced. It may be a course of action or just one event. It can range from violence or assault to less obvious actions such as ignoring someone at work.

The following, although not an exhaustive list may all constitute behaviour at work that is harassment or bullying:

• Physical: ranging from gestures or touching to assault or damage to property

• Verbal: the use of offensive jokes, banter, gossip, mimicry, nicknames, shouting, persistent criticism, threats or patronising language

• Written: the circulation of offensive notes, letters, emails

• Displaying  offensive material: posters, graffiti, lewd pictures

• Behaviour: including isolation, non-cooperation at work, pranks, exclusion from social events or setting unachievable deadlines for work.

Harassment leaflet

Whistleblowing

Police officers should be able to make disclosures about wrongdoing to their Force so that problems can be identified and resolved quickly within the service.

Whistleblowing leaflet

Disability

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities. However, persons with HIV, multiple sclerosis or cancer are deemed to be disabled even if the medical condition does not have an impact on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

The employment provisions of the act also apply to a person who previously had a disability or someone who continues to experience debilitating effects as a result of treatment for a past disability.

Disability leaflet